Preliminary studies on the efficiency of endophytes in the biological control of the postharvest pathogens Monilinia laxa and Rhizopus stolonifer in stone fruit

Endophytic bacteria were tested in the postharvest biocontrol of Monilinia laxa and Rhizopus stolonifer in stone fruits. Of a total of 122 strains of these sub-epidermis micro-organisms isolated from various horticultural sources (cucumber, eggplant, pepper, tomato, zucchini, apricot, peach and plum), approximately twenty showed greater than 90% control of the given pathogens. R. stolonifer appeared to be less susceptible than M. laxa to the endophytes. The influence of conidial concentration of M. laxa and of antagonist/pathogen contact time on the effectiveness of biocontrol were also evaluated.